Devils 2021 team discussion (news, notes and speculation) - part XXVII

[SJinNewJersey]

meanwhile on the current swoon, don’t underestimate the effect of losing Zacha. He was very important to driving whatever play was happening. And minus Zajac and Palms and Bratt too last game. That was 4 of our maybe top 6 or 7 gone right there all of a sudden. And that’s how we look.

Any book on how much longer we get shut out? Even money at least another period and maybe two.

I think we should double shift Jack until we score a goal.

 

[TheDuke93]

At any rate, with where the team finds itself again, no use rushing the up and comers next year.

As it stands though, not a whole lot left on the roster to block a rookie from possibly making the team out of camp.

Fitz will need to try and acquire some veterans obviously, team looks like a daycare. I like seeing the kids play but the team is kind of rudderless without some steadying influence in the lineup.

Agreed I do think Okhotyuk and Foote could very well be ready. I also think a kid like Fabian Zetterlund could push for a 4th line role out of camp, not saying to rush him though.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

We have now dipped below Detroit in points percentage. Anaheim is reachable. Ottawa and Buffalo are probably beyond reach but who knows?

Ottawa is not beyond reach and Buffalo won’t be if we keep losing. Anaheim is literally right behind us.

 

[Bleedred]

I do wonder if there’s anyone worth signing in free agency that can score some goals? We desperately need goal scoring in the worst kind of way.

I don’t wanna touch someone like Adam Larsson on defense. He couldn’t even skate 5 years ago and he’s turning 29 early next year and will probably be more expensive than he should be (even in term) because 4th overall pick and all.

I’d rather bring back Murray (not on a long term please) or even re-sign Kulikov to a one year deal, although I’m not sure Kulikov will recreate the season he just had, as I do believe he was playing over his head.

 

[TheDuke93]

I do wonder if there’s anyone worth signing in free agency that can score some goals? We desperately need goal scoring in the worst kind of way.

I don’t wanna touch someone like Adam Larsson on defense. He couldn’t even skate 5 years ago and he’s turning 29 early next year and will probably be more expensive than he should be (even in term) because 4th overall pick and all.

I’d rather bring back Murray (not on a long term please) or even re-sign Kulikov to a one year deal, although I’m not sure Kulikov will recreate the season he just had, as I do believe he was playing over his head.

Go through the FA list is kinda doomed lol.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Go through the FA list is kinda doomed lol.

Give Hoffman $8m x 1. Why not?

 

[njdevils1982]

Give Hoffman $8m x 1. Why not?

ah, the taylor hall special

 

[Bleedred]

One firing I just didn’t understand was the Melanson one. Don’t see why we needed to make that move.

I know he was only brought in to try and resurrect Cory (which didn’t work but clearly wasn’t his fault either) but Blackwood was thriving under him during the first two seasons he played up here.

I never saw why it was necessary to fire him and hire a new goalie coach. Cory was shot to shit and him being no count was not indicative of Melanson. Keith Kinkaid and Scott Wedgewood have played in the NHL this year, while Cory Schneider hasn’t and probably won’t, unless they give him a start on the last day of the season or something or one of their guys gets injured. That tells you all you need to know about that.

I don’t think a new goalie coach was necessary. They fired the goalie coach Blackwood came into the league under and kept Nasreddine?

Like, really?

 

[JK3]

Over these many many years I thought we hit rock bottom a few times, only to dynamite it, and blast past it further down until we hit magma lmao. I guess we're back up slightly above rock bottom now but it's a better rock bottom lol with the influx of some of these kids.

It's going to be brutal down the stretch here though. I was for dumping guys and at least getting a return on them but they just look completely lost now. Some of these kids shouldn't even be up here, it just cant be good for them to get smoked every night but they have no choice now.

 

[Xirik]

Can someone please tell me these unwritten rules? I'd hate to break them again and make Ranger fans mad at us.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Over these many many years I thought we hit rock bottom a few times, only to dynamite it, and blast past it further down until we hit magma lmao. I guess we're back up slightly above rock bottom now but it's a better rock bottom lol with the influx of some of these kids.

It's going to be brutal down the stretch here though. I was for dumping guys and at least getting a return them but they just look completely lost now. Some of these kids shouldn't even be up here, it just cant be good for them to get smoked every night but they have no choice now.

I don’t even care about the losing at this point, I just want production from Hughes and Nico down the stretch. It’ll suck getting swept by the Rangers but I’ll get over it if they miss the playoffs.

 

[RememberTheName]

There are a couple of top 6 wingers on the market this year not naming the two that will more than likely resign (Landeskog + Ovi). Hyman, RNH, Tatar, Hoffman, Schwartz are all interesting targets to have this offseason. Of these guys, RNH is probably the best fit, but I don't have much faith in management to go after him and seriously try and nab him this offseason, even though he is like perfectly what the team needs.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

 

[TheDuke93]

There are a couple of top 6 wingers on the market this year not naming the two that will more than likely resign (Landeskog + Ovi). Hyman, RNH, Tatar, Hoffman, Schwartz are all interesting targets to have this offseason. Of these guys, RNH is probably the best fit, but I don't have much faith in management to go after him and seriously try and nab him this offseason, even though he is like perfectly what the team needs.

I think they will target him as well as Schwartz and offer 5 year contracts and I would absolutely be on board with that. Hyman I am not sold is any sort of significant upgrade so I am weary on him. Tatar and Hoffman I am both weary of but I would be interested in shorter deals for those two. This is also assuming they have mutual interest so there's a good chance Fitz try to sign all of these guys and gets none of them.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

That correlation might be something real but to state it as raw numbers is terrible. Need to makes it Differential/Gm avg. for rate adjusted metric. How many games are in the Pre and Post numbers there?

 

[glenwo2]

If I'm Ruff, I'd park his ass in front of the opposing Goaltender every chance the Devils get on offense.

We need to score goals and we are unable to.

Let's try scoring on Deflections.

 

[JK3]

I don’t even care about the losing at this point, I just want production from Hughes and Nico down the stretch. It’ll suck getting swept by the Rangers but I’ll get over it if they miss the playoffs.

We absolutely need Nico to get back on track, he was looking good and getting there before he was hit in the face. I'm not expecting much more from Jack or anything to really change from what he's been doing all season. He looks good to great most nights but can't finish, hopefully it's something he can work on in the off season. Shara and Kuokkanen have been good but we don't have a winger to really mesh with him. That would go a long way for this team to actually have a dangerous line.

 

[TheDuke93]

If I'm Ruff, I'd park his ass in front of the opposing Goaltender every chance the Devils get on offense.

We need to score goals and we are unable to.

Let's try scoring on Deflections.

Everyone should do this tbh. Jack actually does it really well and usually gets cross checked and draws a penalty that we presume to not score on. The problem is guys like Wood and Zacha don't actually go to the net unless its off the rush, or in Wood's case the PP. Mercer and Holtz both go there which is something we desperately need.

 

[Mgd31]

We absolutely need Nico get back on track, he was looking good and getting there before he was hit in the face. I'm not expecting much more from Jack or anything to really change from what he's been doing all season. He looks good to great most nights but can't finish, hopefully it's something he can work on in the off season. Shara and Kuokkanen have been good but we don't have a winger to really mesh with him. That would go a long way for this team to actually have a dangerous line.

Yea he literally almost gets killed at the end of his best game this season. And now he’s back to square 1.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

just messing around on CapFriendly, taking a look at some teams that we could maybe look to have dealings with....

Tampa- currently slated to be $3.5 million OVER the cap with only 17 guys signed. Key players that need a contracts. Coleman, Goodrow, D. Savard, Schenn, Mcelhinney as FAs

Vancouver- currently slated to have $16 million in cap space with 17 guys (only 2 DMen!!) signed. This does NOT include Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes who both need RFA raises. Sutter, Vesey, Boyd, Edler, Hamonic as key FAs.

St. Louis- currently slated to have $18 million in space with only 16 guys signed (only 8 forwards!) Key FAs Hoffman, Schwartz, Bozak, Kyrou (RFA), Dunn (RFA)

New York Islanders- currently slated to have $5.7 million in cap space with 20 guys signed (this includes Ladd/Hickey). Key FAs Palmieri, Zajac, Cizikas, Beauvillier (RFA), Pelech (RFA), Sorokin (RFA).

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Send Thompson down, bring up Foote.

Foote-Hughes-Sharangovich
Kuokkanen-Nico-Bratt
Wood-McLeod-Bastian
Johnsson-Boqvist-Merkley/Maltsev

I’m assuming Zacha will be out a while and Bratt will return. Non-contact injury sounds worse than soreness from a blocked shot.

 

[AfroThunder396]

This is an evaluation year, it was always going to be an evaluation year. We had to make important decisions about the future of UFAs like Palmieri and Goose, we made those decisions. We had to have the kids audition and see which ones of them were worth anything, we've made those evaluations. We had to see personal growth from young players, and we've seen that.

Getting blown out by the Rangers sucks ass but doesn't change anything. Game-to-game performance is irrelevant right now. All that matters is that everyone stays healthy and that *individual performance* from young players continues to remain strong.

Nothing that happens between now and the end of the season is going to change anything. We are just killing time until the draft where we will pick another amazing player that will end up as a core piece.

If you don't like watching it then don't. I'm not trying to be a dick, I know how hard it is to watch and I don't blame you at all for wanting to pass. Nothing of consequence is going to happen. These final games are worthless and irrelevant for anything but the kids getting NHL game reps.

 

[Emperoreddy]

They should ease back on Blackwood's starts. No reason to be running him into the ground at this point. Give Wedge and Dell reps.

 

[Blackjack]

just messing around on CapFriendly, taking a look at some teams that we could maybe look to have dealings with....

Tampa- currently slated to be $3.5 million OVER the cap with only 17 guys signed. Key players that need a contracts. Coleman, Goodrow, D. Savard, Schenn, Mcelhinney as FAs

Vancouver- currently slated to have $16 million in cap space with 17 guys (only 2 DMen!!) signed. This does NOT include Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes who both need RFA raises. Sutter, Vesey, Boyd, Edler, Hamonic as key FAs.

St. Louis- currently slated to have $18 million in space with only 16 guys signed (only 8 forwards!) Key FAs Hoffman, Schwartz, Bozak, Kyrou (RFA), Dunn (RFA)

New York Islanders- currently slated to have $5.7 million in cap space with 20 guys signed (this includes Ladd/Hickey). Key FAs Palmieri, Zajac, Cizikas, Beauvillier (RFA), Pelech (RFA), Sorokin (RFA).

Bolded some guys that I think should be targets. I've given up hope that Tampa will ever have to move anyone for their cap. Seattle will take Gourde or Killorn, and someone will be injured if necessary at the beginning of the season.